DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (GAP) has hired retired
United Airlines executive Frederic "Jake" Brace to fill the new
post of chief administrative officer, effective immediately.
Brace, 52 years old, will oversee the struggling grocery chain's
finance and accounting, real estate and information-systems
departments, reporting to President and Chief Executive Sam
Martin.
Martin, who assumed the president and CEO posts last month, said
Brace's appointment complements the hiring earlier this week of
Martin's former colleague Paul Hertz as executive vice president of
operations.
Hertz and Martin joined the company from office-supply chain
OfficeMax Inc. (OMX), where Martin was chief operating officer and
Hertz was responsible for the U.S. retail operations. The duo also
worked together at Wild Oats, acquired in 2007 by Whole Foods
Market Inc. (WFMI).
In addition, A&P this week tapped Carter Knox to fill its
role of senior vice president of human resources and
communications. Knox also comes from OfficeMax, where he was senior
vice president of human resources.
Brace was chief financial officer of United, which is owned by
UAL Corp. (UAUA), from 2002 until his retirement in 2008. He
previously held financial management positions at American
Airlines, owned by AMR Corp. (AMR).
A&P's shares closed up 4.7% at $2.92 and hadn't traded after
hours. The stock has fallen 16% this month and 75% this year.
-By Kathy Shwiff, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2357;
Kathy.Shwiff@dowjones.com